What is heaven? (D&C 76)

76:7-10

How much true and lasting wisdom and understanding do we earn? Humans are discovering worldly scientific principles at an ever-increasing pace. 150 years ago, our transportation mostly included horses. No human had ever flown - let alone reach space. We were dying of sicknesses that are all but gone today. Humans are getting better at discovering new frontiers of science.

Eternal principles are, however, revealed from above. Humans are not good at discovering the things of heaven. “And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.” We are reliant on God to reveal the lasting principles of eternity.

The knowledge discovered by scientists and politicians and thought leaders does not compare to revealed knowledge. What good is it to know the parts of an atom if we don’t know the purpose of life? If we are relying completely on our logic and deductive skills, we suddenly become dunces. “And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.”

It is who we are relying on for our knowledge that matters. If we rely on men and women, we are missing it. If we rely on the Spirit, we will receive an endowment of knowledge and wisdom that will last far beyond this mortal life. “For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.” The things of God will not spring from the mind or heart of man.

76:19

“And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.” It’s important to note that this entire vision was revealed because Joseph and Sidney were reading/translating, they had a question, stopped and meditated. We should definitely stop at certain points while we are studying the scriptures and meditate on what we just read. This is the space that is needed for revelation to happen.

76:25-27

These verses explain part of the origin story of Lucifer. “And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son, And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!” This clearly states that Lucifer was close to God and actually had authority. He certainly had influence. He had earned the respect of others. He was in the inner circle of the heavenly council.

This event reinforces the idea that none of us can reach a high enough rank that we are completely beyond temptation. Any of us can fall if we let pride take over.

His rebellion was knowing. He wasn’t acting against faith but knowledge. He knew the truth and willfully rebelled against it. Let’s compare how he was “thrust down” and Adam and Eve were “cast out.” Considering the Hebrew, the differences in verbs does has meaning.

With Adam and Eve, the verb suggests a disciplinary act with redemptive possibilities. With Lucifer, the Hebrew verb suggests a final destination. The differences in verbs is the difference of discipline vs. damnation.

76:28-34

These verses describe how Lucifer fell and became Satan and his determination to pull us down to hell with him and his angels. It also describes the fate of those who are overcome.

“And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ.” Satan was wanting the power and glory of God in his kingdom. He had obviously performed at a level where he felt entitled to it. His pride had developed over an extended period of time. I have no idea why he thought that he was owed God’s kingdom but he certainly believed that.

The last verse seems to be in past-tense but this next verse seems to jump into present-tense. “Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.” This is not talking about the war in heaven but the war that is happening right now in mortality. The phrase “encompasseth them round about” is descriptive. I imagine that he and his angels are sometimes swirling around us - whispering constant temptations in our ears. Our conscious, mortal brain is not hearing it but our spirit is.

“And we saw a vision of the sufferings of those with whom he made war and overcame, for thus came the voice of the Lord unto us…” This mortal world is full of suffering - it’s just part of it. You could live an amazingly righteous life but suffer the results of living in a fallen world. However, there is even greater suffering in store for those who have allowed themselves to be overcome by Satan. Those who heed his whisperings are destined to experience an added measure of suffering. Self-inflicted suffering through giving into temptation can be the most severe suffering we can experience in mortality.

There is another level of rebellion that brings another level of consequence. If we have gained sure knowledge through the Spirit and then reject what we know and deny the Christ, we are officially and permanently overcome. “Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power— They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born.”

They can never be forgiven because they will never repent. They will never gain any level of salvation because they don’t want it. They can’t abide any level of law - even the laws connected to the telestial kingdom. They reject their relationship to God. Rather than being sons of God, they become sons of Perdition - who is, of course, Satan himself.

They will share in the consequences given to Satan and his angels. “For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity.”

Again, there is no forgiveness because they choose to never repent. They are in a constant state of rebellion. “Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come.” They know the truth, the Spirit has confirmed what they know and reject it anyway. “Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.”

Their destiny is terrible. “These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels— And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power; Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.” The second death is separation from the entire Godhead permanently.

76:39-41

“For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made. And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us— That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness.” Everyone else will receive a degree of glory. Not through their own merits but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished.

76:44-48

These verses explain that outer darkness isn’t explainable. “Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment— And the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof; Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by vision unto many, but straightway shut it up again; Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the depth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are ordained unto this condemnation.” It’s one of those things that can’t really be understood without experiencing it - which none of us want to do.

76:53

On a brighter note, this revelation illustrates what will happen to those who are saved to some degree - which is essentially all of us. “And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.” What and who are we overcoming - we are overcoming the natural world and overcoming the natural man. The natural, fallen world is intertwined with the natural, fallen man. We must overcome both. If I had to pick, I would say that overcoming the natural man is the hardest part of this mortal experience.

76:58-60

“Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things.” These are big verses. These verses declare the potential that we all have.

We will inherit all things - whether those things are in the present or future - present agency and future dominion.

They will overcome all things. This is in future-tense. After this life, there will still be agency and progression. There will still be challenges and work to do. There will still be effort required. We will still need to choose the right. As we do, we shall truly “overcome all things.” Everyone will be saved - but these are they who become like God. Salvation is a free gift for those who kept their first estate. Exaltation is a gift that must be received. We receive it by overcoming through faith.

76:69

Those who are exalted aren’t perfect men made even more perfect. “These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.” We must remember that we only have the opportunity to progress and overcome through the atonement of Jesus Christ. None of us is earning our exaltation. We all rely on him who is mighty to save.

76:71-79

This vision now illustrates who belongs to the terrestrial kingdom. “And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.” As I consider the different between the sun and moon - the difference is huge. It’s also interesting to consider that the sun generates it’s own light while the moon’s illumination comes only from reflected light.

Who will go to the terrestrial kingdom?

• “Behold, these are they who died without law. And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh; Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.” These are they who didn’t accept the gospel in this life. It appears as though it is those who had a chance but didn’t take it. They reject the gospel but later accept it. This is different than what was described in D&C 137 - where the Lord is revealing to Joseph that his brother Alvin would inherit the glory of the celestial kingdom. There is a difference between not having a chance and would accept it vs. having a chance, rejecting the gospel, but accepting it later.

• “These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.” They may think that this world is all that there is. Their success is measured by the world. They are decent men and women. They may be those who were led away from the church by other “crafty” men and women. They may be deceived (blinded) in this life by whatever circumstance or person.

• “These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.” They receive glory. They accept and abide by certain laws. God’s glory is offered to us all. But it is up to us to RECEIVE it.

• “These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father. Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.” They are saved. They enjoy the presence of Jesus Christ. Their glory is different than the glory of the celestial. My understanding is that their literal bodies are different.

• “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” I think about this verse a lot. I use it to measure my own faithfulness. I frequently ponder if I am being valiant in my testimony. Sometimes, I feel like I am and, other times, I don’t. I suppose we all feel this way. It is going to tale a valiant effort to receive all that the Father has. Honestly, I think there are many people who will inherit this kingdom because of their level of valiance that may think that they are headed to the celestial kingdom. I believe that being apathetic is the opposite of being valiant. Plenty of us are apathetic when it comes to being disciples of Christ. Going to the church each week and going to the temple every month and paying tithing isn’t the definition of valiant - in my opinion.

76:81-85

Now, Joseph saw a vision of the telestial kingdom. “And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament.” There is a big difference between the brightness of the moon verses the stars. I take this at face value that the difference in glory between these two glories is stark.

Who goes to the telestial kingdom?

• “These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.” They don’t accept the gospel and will not accept the testimony of Jesus. But don’t the scriptures say that “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ?” Yes. And this applies to those in the telestial kingdom. However, it will be a forced acknowledgment or eventual submission to His glory rather than an act of faith and example of a covenant relationship with Him. It will be at a point that their declaration won’t affect their faithfulness or ability to abide a higher law.

• “These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit.” They haven’t or won’t commit the unpardonable sin of denying the Holy Ghost. They aren’t rebelling against a sure knowledge that can only be given through the Holy Ghost. They will still enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost. They are not lost in out darkness.

• “These are they who are thrust down to hell.” They aren’t thrust down to hell permanently. They are sent to spirit prison. They will eventually be redeemed and removed from this hell and inherit a degree of glory.

• “These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.” They will be resurrected last - at the end of the millennium.

76:86-87

There is going to be a lot of ministering in the three kingdoms. This is something that I haven’t considered a lot until reading this section this time. It’s weird how things pop out at you each time you read a section… “These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial.” I didn’t realize this. This verse describes that those in the telestial kingdom will only benefit from the presence of the Holy Ghost THROUGH the ministrations of terrestrial beings. Their experience of the Spirit is dependent on this ministering structure.

It doesn’t mean they’ll never feel peace, love, or joy. But it does mean they will not experience the Holy Spirit’s presence or gifts directly the way terrestrial or celestial beings can.

They are dependent on higher beings to deliver it much like people without the gift of the Holy Ghost in mortality are dependent on moments of inspiration but lack constant companionship. Pretty interesting.

While we’re talking about ministration, we should also say that those in the celestial kingdom will minister to those in the terrestrial kingdom. “And the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial.” We will be ministering forever - even after the final judgment. That’s something that I haven’t thought about. It clearly illustrates the love and care that God has for all of his children. It also declares the importance of charity and selfless service. We will never stop lifting each other up. It’s beautiful actually.

76:89

“And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding.” It’s always been interesting to me how the glory of the telestial is more glorious than any of us can comprehend or understand. God is good and loves all of his children.

76:94

“They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace.” Those who are exalted have clear vision. They see themselves as God sees them. They see other beings as God sees them. They have God’s perspective. They are no longer burdened with personal biases. They see reality perfectly as it is.

76:103-105, 111

This vision returns to describe those who inherit the telestial kingdom. “These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire." These are wicked people. These are those who enjoy sinning. They have experienced God’s wrath on earth from not living by the commandments. They have experienced the natural consequences of sinning. They have been punished with “eternal fire.” Remember, “eternal” isn’t the same as “forever.” Eternal fire is talking about God’s “fire.” In D&C 19:12, we read, “Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.“

“For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared.” All of us will be judged by our works. What we do illustrates our testimonies better than what we speak or what we think. What we do communicates to God and the world our level of faithfulness. Our works explain our testimonies and how we have overcome the fallen world and natural man.

76:112

Many in the telestial world will become servants. “And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.” This won’t be forced servitude. They still have agency and will choose to serve. They will choose to support God’s work in whatever ways that they can. This doesn’t mean that they are earning promotions to other kingdoms. As this verse states, They cannot come to those kingdoms inhabited by Jesus and Heavenly Father - forever.

76:116-118

These degrees of glory are impossible for us to imagine or comprehend through a well-written section of scripture. “Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves.” I would love to see a vision like this. I imagine that I won’t in this life but I have faith that this could be revealed to me. It depends on what level of glory I could abide in this life.

Whether it is in this life or the next, it is important to know that it is the Spirit that will allow me to be in the presence of God in the next life. “That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.” The relationship that we have with the Spirit in this mortal life will determine whether we will be able to bear God’s presence in the world to come.